Cover and applicator



Jan. 25, 1938 1.. H. AMRINE 2,105,313

COVER AND APPLICATOR Filed Jan. 29, 1936 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Jan. 25, 1938 PATENT OFFICE COVER AND APPLICATOR Leclare H. Amrine, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Imperial Molded Products Corporation, Chicago,v

Ill.

Application January 29, 1936, Serial No. 61,327

Claims.

My invention relates to applicators and particularly to those serving the combined purpose of an applicator and cover for the container with which they are used.

The object of my invention is to provide a combined cover and applicator in which the cover has a protruding finger grip which isfuseful both in turning the cover to release it from the container and in manipulating the applicator itself.

Another object is to provide in a combined cover and applicator for jars containing mustard or the like a finger grip for the cover which has inserted in it a flat sided applicator in the same direction as the grip so that the grip gives the impression of being an extension of the applicator, which, being rigid with the cover, serves to loosen up the contents of the container, when the cover portion is turned oif or on.

Further objects and advantages will appear, as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification.

In the drawing Fig. 1 shows the application of my device to a conventional jar.

25 Fig. 2 is a side view of the combined cover and applicator.

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the cover portion with the applicator removed.

Fig. 4. is a top view of the device.

While my invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms I have shown in the drawing and will describe in detail one such embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principle of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Applicators combined with jar tops have been used but the use has been largely confined to brushes and other applicators for fluids where the direction of application is immaterial and where n the contents of the container or jar flow to the applicator to replace the supply removed thereby. The applicator herein described is designed to work with pastes having more body than will permit them to how freely, such as mustard, paste, marmalade and the like, or with substances which need occasionally to be stirred or loosened up. It is also extremely useful where it is desired to butter or spread the contents of the jar on the food or where it is desired to scoop up a quantity of the contents to remove them from the jar. The replaceability of the rigid applicator when it becomes dirty or when the cover portion is to be used with other condiment is an added benefit.

The illustration shows a transparent jar I having a screw thread top on which is mounted the cover portion 2 of my device.' A flat spoon-like applicator 3 is mounted in the cover. On the cover portion 2 is a wedge-shaped finger grip 5,

higher at one end 6 than at the other and wider at the same high end 6 than at the other. The generous grip furnishes a firm cormnodious eX- tension which can be solidly grasped by the thumb and forefinger much as the user would lift a fork, spoon or other utensil. In using the wedge-shaped grip herein shown, there is a marked advantage. Ordinarily there is a tendency for the fingers. to slip when picking up an article having a smooth thin, perfectly flat handle and the tendency is greatly multiplied when'the handle is greasy and slippery. By making the grip of unequal width it has been found that a firmer hold can be taken of it with the'tendency to slip greatly minimized. When the grip is taken hold of, the thumb of the user lays! along one side with the wide part of the wedge preferably at the base of the first joint. The index finger will ordinarily be doubled back on the other side and the wide portion of the wedge will fall in or near the base of the first joint of the finger so that the first joint partially squeezes the. base of the wedge and the second joint squeezes the side. Grasped in this manner, which is natural to the average person, a securehold will be had on the cover which will greatly facilitate its use. The utility of this feature of the device is of marked benefit when it is used in restaurants and other public eating places where carelessness takes precedence over cleanliness.

In the under side of the cover portion 2 is a narrow slot 1 made in a size to fit the handle 8 of the applicator 3. The applicator itself is preferably shaped at the bottom like a fiat spoon or spatula 9 and the handle 8, which fits tightly into the slot 1 is made long enough so that the end of the spoon almost reaches the bottom of the jar with which it is to be used. Making the ap-v plicator thus, of wood, fiber or other similar materials allows it to be freely replaced by another when occasion requires. It should be noted that the applicator 3 and the grip 5 are positioned in the same direction flatwise so that the user when clasping the grip for buttering the condiment is holding the applicator in the same general direction as the handle. The sensation given is similar to that of clasping the applicator itself by the handle. The applicator, being rigidly fastened to the cover portion is turned when the cover portion is screwed on or 01f to the end that some of the contents may be picked up by a twist of the cover when the level gets so low that the laterally extending cover portion would prevent spooning them out otherwise.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and seek to secure by Letters Patent is:--

1. A combination cover and applicator comprising a cover attachable to a jar, a substantially fiat elongated grip molded integral with and extending diametrically across the top of the cover operable to be conveniently gripped with the fingers at the flat sides thereof for placing the cover upon and removing it from the jar and for manipulating it in accordance with its intended use, said cover having therein an elongated aperture extending in a diametrical direction, and a flat spatula-like applicator comprising a rigid material having a correspondingly flat handle adapted to reception into the aperture so that the plane of the handle and applicator is maintained in a fixed definite relation with the plane of the grip, said applicator being movable simultaneously with said cover and grip and removable from the aperture for replacement.

2. A combination cover and applicator comprising a cover attachable to a jar, an elongated grip molded integrally with the cover operable to be conveniently gripped with the fingers at the sides thereof for placing the cover on and removing it from the jar, said cover having an elongated aperture therein, and a detachable applicator having a laterally elongated handle corresponding in shape to the aperture and adapted to be snugly received therein so that it may be detached at will for cleaning and thereafter be replaced.

3. A combination cover and applicator comprising a cover attachable to a jar, a grip molded integrally therewith formed with opposed flat sides spaced so as to be grasped by the fingers, said cover having formed therein an aperture with sides disposed in a direction predetermined with respect to the direction of the sides of the grip, and an applicator constructed for use when turned in a specific direction having a handle formed for reception into the aperture so that when inserted therein the position of the applica'tor with respect to a lateral direction is maintained in afixed relation to the position of the grip.

4. A combination cover and applicator comprising a rotatable cover attachable to a container, an elongated grip integral with the cover and shorter in length than the diameter of said cover having a thickness progressively increasing from one end to the other and a height in excess of the maximum thickness and extending across the top of said cover in a position operable to be gripped by the fingers for rotating and manipulating said cover, and a fiat, separable spoon-like applicator, said cover having an aperture therein extending in the same lateral direction as said grip, adapted to the reception of said applicator in the same flatwise position laterally as said grip.

5. A combination cover and applicator comprising a cover attachable to a receptacle, an elongated finger grip of unequal Width extending across the top of the cover having a heighth in excess of the maximum width operable to be grasped at the sides by the fingers for manipulating said cover, and a long flat applicator, said cover having an elongated aperture therein adapted to the reception of said applicator in the same position laterally as said grip.

LECLARE H. AMRINE. 

